For the number junkies out there in cyberspace, SCEE’s PlayStation Day is pumping out sales numbers like Mardi Gras beads, and you don’t even have to take off your shirt to get your hands on em. (I suppose you could, if that’s your thing.)

SCEE chief David Reeves said Sony Europe has sold 12 million PSPs, 5 million PS3s and a solid 48 million PS2s. Now, if that isn’t a pretty solid user base I don’t know what is.

Reeves also went on to point out that Sony has been outselling their closest competitor (the Xbox 360, the Wii is still in a solid first place) consistently since October.  He even added that the PS3 has sold more units than the Xbox 360 in Europe to date, despite Microsoft’s 18 month advantage. Not bad for Sony’s big black beast.

Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai has been kind enough to show off Sony’s world-wide sales figures. A respectable 10.5 million PS3s, 34 million PSPs and a whopping 127 million PS2s had been sold upto the end of 2007.

And look at this, even more numbers! This day just keeps getting… numberier. Reeves talks more European numbers, revealing that Gran Turismo 5: Prologue has sold 1.5 million copies, EyeToy has sold 6.7 million, SingStar is rocking 12 million copies, and Buzz has sold 6 million copies. Who bought 6 million copies of Buzz? I have no idea. But there you have it. Straight from the horse’s mouth. Well, SCEE chief’s mouth actually, but you get the idea.

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Well here’s some great news for the often forgotten Europeans.  Although North American’s must pre-order Metal Gear Solid 4 to access the Metal Gear Online Beta, Europeans will be able to download the Beta for free, and with no need for a code. Follow the jump for more information.

In reporting new information on the Playstation Store relaunch and its included content, there was a nugget of information that would be easily overlooked if it wasn’t spelled out.  Sony Europe confirmed that the Metal Gear Online Beta would be available on April 17th, but we presumed this would only be for thos who pre-ordered. 

We then realised that, as of yet, there were no reports of Beta Codes in Europe. Konami thus made things all the clearer today, saying that the “Metal Gear Online Premiere Beta will be available as a free download on the Playstation Store from April 17th until May 6th.”  The Beta itself will begin on April 21st (plenty of time to get hold of this presumably very popular download) and end on May 6th.

The beta phase features two maps, four gameplay modes, the SOP System that encourages up to 16 players to team up and share information, and deep skill-customization. Also equipped with auto-matching and training modes, the game offers players a sneak peak of this totally new approach to console-based competitive gaming.

Bring on the Metal Gear Online Beta for all Europeans (and hopefully others in the Pal region, including Australia) and those North Americans who were clever enough to pre-order.  Take that Chad!

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